It’s been a year!

Sitting down to write my last President’s Perspective, I suddenly realized how fast this year has gone by.

When I took the role as president last November, I was a little overwhelmed to be in such an important leadership position for the wheat industry. There were many challenges we faced in 2024, but the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) team was there, working tirelessly and taking valuable time away from the farm to fight and lobby for the good of wheat. We fought to pass a farm bill, traveling multiple times to Washington, D.C., to meet with Congress. We never stopped fighting to protect the lower Snake River dams. We organized tours, participated on panels, and wrote letters. We worked with other stakeholders in the ag industry to spread our message that the dams are critical infrastructure. 

We took direction from our resolutions, written and approved by our members, to serve you, the growers. You are the reason we are here, fighting for our industry.

Standing as president of WAWG has deepened my commitment to agriculture. The feeling of being a leader in this industry has really inspired me. One of the highlights of this past year was the Lind Field Day where I gave a WAWG update. I had never been to the field day before, and it was jam-packed with farmers, industry folks, and, of course, Washington State University researchers and personnel. I was a bit nervous to speak in front of the large crowd, but I quickly realized there was nothing to be nervous about because we were all in the same small grains industry!

I want to thank my dad for telling me to run for county president nine years ago. That’s where my journey began. I want to thank the officers I’ve served with; Michelle Hennings, our executive director; and all of the board members for making my year as president successful. I also want to thank the Washington Grain Commission team for working closely with WAWG to keep our industry strong. There are so many WAWG members I want to thank that I can’t name them all. Just know that WAWG is only successful if we all get involved. Finally, I want to thank all my Horse Heaven farmer friends and neighbors. You know who you are!

One last reminder before I turn over the presidential reins — it’s not too late to register for the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, which will be Nov. 19-21 in Coeur d’Alene. You can register online at wawg.org/convention/registration/ or call the WAWG office at (609) 659-0610.